Harbaugh looking forward to another intense game against Seahawks on Sunday night

SANTA CLARA– The 49ers clinched a playoff berth with their impressive victory over the New England Patriots. In the process, they laid claim to being the team to beat in the quest for the Super Bowl.

The Sunday night matchup amounted to a Super Bowl preview, in some circles. Niners coach Jim Harbaugh admitted that this game carried added significance.

“It was obvious both teams desperately wanted to win the game,” Harbaugh said Monday. “It felt like both teams wanted to prove they were the better team.”

As evidence, Harbaugh pointed out the hard hitting that started from the outset and lasted until the 49ers prevailed 41-34.

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“Both teams really wanted it, to show that they were the better team,” Harbaugh said. “It was a great game. It was an exciting game. Very competitive.”

The 49ers gained a little breathing room in terms of the battle for the NFC West title, with the Seattle Seahawks 1 ½ games back with two to play.

There’s also the matter of securing one of the top two seeds and the first-round bye and home-field advantage that comes with that distinction. For now, the 49ers own the No. 2 seed.

To that end, Harbaugh and his staff spent a chunk of their time on the plane ride back to the Bay Area breaking down tape and preparing for this Sunday night’s game against the Seahawks.

What Harbaugh sees when watching tape is a team that has the resolve to withstand a 28-point flurry by the Patriots and persevere in the most trying circumstances.

“The pressure to perform is great in this league, at this level,” Harbaugh said. “I credit that to we have excellent players who are kind of in the prime of their career. They’re at the experienced height, but they’re young, and they’ve been in those situations. They’re young, experienced and kind of right in their prime.”

Harbaugh said he expects another intense game against the Seahawks. He Isn’t sure whether he will have standout defensive lineman Justin Smith as his disposal.

Smith suffered an elbow injury against the Patriots and was unable to finish the game.

Smith underwent an MRI on Monday. Harbaugh said Smith he won’t know more about Smith’s status for the Seahawks game until he sees how Smith responds over the next couple of days.

“I can’t comment on what it is, but we’ll go from there,” Smith said after the Patriots game.

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He has started 185 straight regular-season games, the third-longest streak among active players.

– Second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick and center Jonathan Goodwin had difficulty with the center-quarterback exchange on several occasions Sunday night.

Harbaugh said the issue will be addressed this week and that it’s not all on Kaepernick.

“There are two people involved there, the center and the quarterback,” Harbaugh said. “You look at how each is taking that snap, delivering the snap, and get it fixed.”

– Harbaugh said David Akers will remain as the team’s kicker despite Akers’ inconsistent play this season.

“Specialists, sometimes they only get four or five opportunities a game; you’ve got to make the play,” Harbaugh said. “You’ve got to see him do it, got to see him make those plays.”

Akers missed a 39-yard field-goal attempt against the Patriots. He also converted two field goals and all five of his extra-point attempts. He is 25 for 35 this season (71.4 percent), whereas last season he made 44 of 52 (84.6) during a Pro Bowl season.

General manager Trent Baalke said on his weekly radio show that Akers, as well as wide receiver/punt returner Ted Ginn Jr., are evaluated “day to day,” and he hasn’t lost confidence in either player.

– The 49ers defense was on the field for 94 plays Sunday night. That’s twice as many plays as the Raiders defense faced against the Chiefs earlier Sunday and 33 percent or more than the average of the 49ers first 12 games.

Therefore, Harbaugh said, the workload in practice won’t be as heavy and intense this week as it is during a typical week.

“It affected us during the game, especially the amount of plays and the tempo with which they were running their offense at,” Harbaugh said. “It was tough playing in that stretch for our defense.”

Rodgers told NFL Network: “He’s a great quarterback, he just needs to go somewhere he gets appreciated for the skills he has and hopefully he gets a chance next year.”

– The 49ers re-signed wide receiver Chad Hall to their practice squad. He spent three weeks on the practice squad earlier this season before being released Dec. 15. Hall played in 15 games for the Eagles in 2010-11.

Cam Inman

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This should put to rest the Kaep/Smith debate for the minority of 49ers fans that thought the change was a bad decision.

Kaep in his 5th game just won a game on the road in one of the most hostile environments while throwing 4 TD passes.

Alex has NEVER thrown 4 TD’s in a single game over 8 years as a QB.

Steve Deberg, Matt Cassell, & Alex Smith might just be the same guy.

Modes

“Steve Deberg, Matt Cassell, & Alex Smith might just be the same guy.”

You figure Matt Cassell and Alex Smith will play in the NFL for 20 years and throw for 35k yards also?

Rick

Seattle is the better team with a rookie QB, SF better hope the NY giants don’t make the playoffs!!!!

Common Sense

Based on tonight’s showing, the Jets should be contacting Smith’s agent as soon as possible.

Boxergar

Ted Ginn needs to be replaced. I don’t see why LaMichael James isn’t handling punts as well as kickoffs.

http://Henothing DaHawn49er

Why Rick? Last i checked they got there asses handed to them, I love to see the Seacheckens vs the Giants.

Really?

You mean the 49ers don’t want to face the Redskins. Giants won’t make the playoffs.

snsf49loyal

Giants won’t be so “lucky” this time.

http://Google John Smith

You should be stating that those teams, Redskins, Packers and Falcons and Seahawks dont want to face the 49ers. 49ers keep doing things that nobody expects them to do…

moweejim

It’s silly to discuss Kaep and Alex regarding the Q’back position. Harbaugh has decided he’s going forward with Kaep and Alex is going to find another team next year with Tolzein as the back up. I was an Alex Smith fan but the cycle of life in the NFL is the younger stronger lion takes over the Pride and there’s no turning back. Alex is lucky because, as a free agent, there are so many teams that need a Q’back of his skill level. He’s going to be offered a lot of money by Kansas, Jets, Tenn., Jacksonville, Cleveland, just to name a few to take over. Think of how much Matt Flynn got from the Seahawks and now sits on the bench. But Alex is better than Flynn or Kolb and if he’s careful, he can round out his NFL career very nicely as a starter. Harbaugh was luck to have Alex as a stop gap Q’back until Kaep became ready. I wish Alex good luck, he’s been a good soldier and served well.

Ron Grummer

The Patriots selected who they wanted to play in the superbowl when they let up on the Niners last weekend. They would rather face the ladies from the Bay than the wolf grey hawks from southern Alaska. All this means is that we get to fine-tune our play by thumping a few more heads on our path to the Superdome.

Furryknee

Would someone please tell me the last time Ted Ginn had even an average punt return? Even when he occasionally fields a ball cleanly, he goes into a “slide” at the first sign of contact. The guy gives us no punt return ability at all. Maybe Baalke hasn’t lost confidence in him, but I sure have. I don’t have much more faith in Akers, either. We’re 12-2 if he hits 2 makeable FG’s.

Mo P

furryknee: might as well add Akers to that list.

I’m curious of whether the coaches are telling him to save himself, b/c he is injury prone, and maybe hopefully he actually becomes the returner we need in the playoffs.

But I agree, I’ve seen nothing from Akers or Ginn that warrants them on this team other than the replacements aren’t much better. Cundiff, Kaeding…scraps.

http://49er/blog ben hernandez

Furryknee,I agree.Ginn goes into a slide on kickoffs all the time.He is suppose to go. full tilt in order to break a long run.L.James does not avoid contact.Did you see him drag a patriot player for ten extra yds. on his 62yd kickoff?He is a very strong dude and and runs at obone-ken-ob speed